Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-03-09
SWEPT TO DESTRUCTION.
REMARKABLE AND FATAL ACCIDENT
ON THE ELEVATED RAILWAY.

Ten Men Swept from the Track by a Man
Who Hung TO the Steps of Coach
Three of the Victims Dead and Others
Badly wounded-Fntal Boiler Explo-
sicns XIII Five Men.
NEW YORK, March 9-A few minutes
after O'CLOCK Tuesday morning an accident
occurred on the down town track of the
Third Avenue Elevated railroad at the Four
teenth street station which resulted in the
death of three men and the wounding of
seven. A fire occurred ct the tailoring estab-
lishment of Nicoll. the tailor, on the Bow
cry. near Hudson street. The elevated trains
on the down track were blockaiei from
Ninth street up as far as Fifty second street
All the trains were crowded with people on
their way TO work.
The official report to the company male
by s. NJ. Bailey, the managers secretary,
gives the following account Of the way the
accident occurred: After stating the fact OF
the fire at NicolIs, he says that at the point
where the accident occurred there is cross
over track, but the facilities at that place
are somewhat limited, and slight block of
the trains occurred on the south-b bound
track. During the block, and at $40 o'clock
a train was held at the Fourteenth street
station on the south-bound track, and there
was another train on the same track mme-
diately behind it. These trains were filled
with passengers, and principally with labor
ing men on their way to work. The labor
ing men insisted upon leaving the cars, and
those on the last train, which was above the
station platform. got out of the cars of that
train ami started to walk 10 tine station.
while a number of these men were still
walking on the track, the track ahead was
cleared and the train which had been held
at the Fourteenth street station moved of
One of the passengers who was walking on
the track observing this, and being anxious
TO get down town, climbed TO the step Of the
extreme end of the rear car of the moving
train. While in this position his body ex-
tended out beyond the side of the car, the
platform gate of the car being, Of course,
closed at the time, and while in this position
with his body protruding beyond the side
of the car-he came in contact with the pas
sengers who were moving along the track
walk, sweeping them off like flash from
the walk into the street below This man
managed to get on the train and his identity
has not vet been established. At the time OF
| the accident the second train was not in
motion at all
Secretary Bailey adds that with three OF
| four TT ainmenson the train it was impossible
| to prevent the carload of laboring men, who
were passengers, from getting off the cars
| and walking on the track. Notyithstand-
| ing this the company claims that there was
| plenty of room on the track for the passeu-
gers who got eff the train to reach the sta
| ton in safety if it had not been for the fool
| hardness of the passenger who climbed upon
| the step of the rear platform Of the moving
| train.
| The following names cf the killed and in
| jured were received at the compauy's Office:
| Patrick Matthews, dead. ami two other
men whose identity Is INK nown. AmeS Me
Carthy hip and back badly injured, Robert
Schumacher, badly injured; William Ken,
nedy, back and side injured, JAMES Lyle
badly injured; Eml Weller, general con.
tusions; an unknown man, badly hurt and
| unconscious; jose Glrlndter, general con
| tusions and fractured ilhs
The narrow platform from which the Jeo-
| pie fell was about Two and half feet high
| 1t is used by the trdci;men when on duty
| and above Fourteenth street Is not provided
with hand-rail Ii i, asserted that wher
the passengers left the blocked car and tool
to the platform the gatemen of the trains of
fered no objection as they ought to have
done.
Down below, in the street, was scene Of
horror The men had fallen in tire middle
of the street on the surface car-track. In a
ghasty heap they lay, some motionIess
| family Nd
wildly IN pain and terror. A crowd Of
thousands who had watched the blockade
from below surged around and closed ii
upon the scene. 4 police officer who hat
| witnessed tie occurrence sent out calls tol
| ambulance s Ten had fallen from the tracl
all told-that is, ten We're found dead Or IN
jured. If any escaped unhurt they were moi
counted. The three al the bottom of the
heap were dead. They had fallen head frs
and had smashed their skulls, one aud all